Sunday, July 09, 2006
Website writing
In the summer of 2004 I answered an ad on Craigslist for a start-up Internet company located in Manhattan. Seth ..... needed five websites containing 15 sub-topics, each one page in length. The topics included subject matter on the law, obesity, mental health, nutritional supplements and love. He needed these 75 pages of writing--averaging 250 words per page--in less than two weeks. That's almost 19,000 words--the equivalent of about half-a-novel.
I accepted the challenge and met his deadline, although I would not like to do a job this difficult under such a tight deadline again.
Of the five sites, only one remains in publication, "Beyond Legal." The other four were samples for clients. I'm not clear what Seth was using the websites to accomplish. But they no longer exist.
Here is a sample from "Beyond Legal," addressing the challenges of being sued.
The Unthinkable: Being Sued
From www.beyondlegal.com
Written by Diane De Rooij, June 2004.
There are few moments in life where the stomach sinks so deeply as the moment you are served with a summons to appear in court and defend yourself against a lawsuit. In your shock and horror, you may not want to admit or consider that you need a lawyer. But make no mistake. No amount of righteous rightness can substitute for a savvy attorney. Even if you are innocent, you may end up losing everything you own. If you are not innocent, you need an attorney even more, to advocate for you and seek a fair settlement.
When summoned, you have a limited time to answer. Use this time to find the right attorney. If you need more time, you may contact the court clerk and ask for the forms you need to ask for an extension. In the meantime, start checking your insurance policies. If there is a possibility your property will be seized if you lose, sometimes homeowners insurance will pay for a portion of your legal representation.
From the moment you are served until the day you appear in court, speak to NO ONE about the issues contained in the lawsuit. Anyone you talk to can be called to court to testify against you. Furthermore, discussing conversations and documents that go between you and your attorney can vitiate the privilege, which is essential in any legal action.
Once you have an attorney, work toward a resolution quickly. Look into settlement, mediation, arbitration and dismissal. All these options will cost you money, but can’t compare to your financial exposure if you lose in court.
If you go the distance, a judge or jury will determine liability—for the defendant and/or the plaintiff. As a defendant, the decision may be that you are not liable or responsible. Or the judgment may be split between you and the plaintiff, if the judge or jury determine each of you shares a percentage of the liability.
Tell your attorney everything, and tell him or her the truth. Don’t leave anything out or start shredding documents to protect yourself. This is a perfect way to let your attorney get sandbagged in court and for you to lose it all. And even if you are innocent and outraged at the insult of being sued, stay calm and reasonable. Don’t taunt your opponent. Don’t act cocky. Don’t appear bitter.
When judges try to determine who is being truthful and who is lying, they look for an appearance of guilt—shifty eyes, shaky voice, angry face. If you believe the truth will set you free, be calm, cool, collected and civil. Make eye contact with the judge and jury, as well as with your opponent.
Remember, even though it seems like the end of the world to you, your plight means very little to the members of the court who will hear your case. Try to keep everything in perspective and with out drama. Be brief and respectful.
Make sure you turn to your attorney for advice if there are any elements of the case that make you feel uncertain. Let your attorney protect you. Detach from the fear and have confidence. You will have your day in court soon enough.
I accepted the challenge and met his deadline, although I would not like to do a job this difficult under such a tight deadline again.
Of the five sites, only one remains in publication, "Beyond Legal." The other four were samples for clients. I'm not clear what Seth was using the websites to accomplish. But they no longer exist.
Here is a sample from "Beyond Legal," addressing the challenges of being sued.
The Unthinkable: Being Sued
From www.beyondlegal.com
Written by Diane De Rooij, June 2004.
There are few moments in life where the stomach sinks so deeply as the moment you are served with a summons to appear in court and defend yourself against a lawsuit. In your shock and horror, you may not want to admit or consider that you need a lawyer. But make no mistake. No amount of righteous rightness can substitute for a savvy attorney. Even if you are innocent, you may end up losing everything you own. If you are not innocent, you need an attorney even more, to advocate for you and seek a fair settlement.
When summoned, you have a limited time to answer. Use this time to find the right attorney. If you need more time, you may contact the court clerk and ask for the forms you need to ask for an extension. In the meantime, start checking your insurance policies. If there is a possibility your property will be seized if you lose, sometimes homeowners insurance will pay for a portion of your legal representation.
From the moment you are served until the day you appear in court, speak to NO ONE about the issues contained in the lawsuit. Anyone you talk to can be called to court to testify against you. Furthermore, discussing conversations and documents that go between you and your attorney can vitiate the privilege, which is essential in any legal action.
Once you have an attorney, work toward a resolution quickly. Look into settlement, mediation, arbitration and dismissal. All these options will cost you money, but can’t compare to your financial exposure if you lose in court.
If you go the distance, a judge or jury will determine liability—for the defendant and/or the plaintiff. As a defendant, the decision may be that you are not liable or responsible. Or the judgment may be split between you and the plaintiff, if the judge or jury determine each of you shares a percentage of the liability.
Tell your attorney everything, and tell him or her the truth. Don’t leave anything out or start shredding documents to protect yourself. This is a perfect way to let your attorney get sandbagged in court and for you to lose it all. And even if you are innocent and outraged at the insult of being sued, stay calm and reasonable. Don’t taunt your opponent. Don’t act cocky. Don’t appear bitter.
When judges try to determine who is being truthful and who is lying, they look for an appearance of guilt—shifty eyes, shaky voice, angry face. If you believe the truth will set you free, be calm, cool, collected and civil. Make eye contact with the judge and jury, as well as with your opponent.
Remember, even though it seems like the end of the world to you, your plight means very little to the members of the court who will hear your case. Try to keep everything in perspective and with out drama. Be brief and respectful.
Make sure you turn to your attorney for advice if there are any elements of the case that make you feel uncertain. Let your attorney protect you. Detach from the fear and have confidence. You will have your day in court soon enough.
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